What Is the Standard Deduction for Married Filing Jointly 2024?

The standard deduction is a fixed-dollar amount that taxpayers can subtract from their adjusted gross income (AGI), reducing the amount of income subject to tax. This article addresses the standard deduction amounts for those with a “married filing jointly” status for the 2024 tax year, which is the return filed in 2025.

2024 Standard Deduction Amount for Joint Filers

For the 2024 tax year, the base standard deduction for a married couple filing a joint return is $29,200. A couple can increase this base amount if one or both spouses meet certain age or vision criteria by the last day of the tax year.

An additional deduction of $1,550 is available for a spouse who is age 65 or older. A separate additional amount of $1,550 is also available for a spouse who is legally blind. To be considered legally blind, an individual must have a doctor’s certification that their vision is no better than 20/200 in their best eye with correction, or their field of vision is limited to 20 degrees or less.

These additional amounts are per person and per condition. For example, if one spouse is 65 or older, the total deduction becomes $30,750. If both spouses are 65 or older, the total is $32,300. If one spouse is both over 65 and blind, they can claim two additional amounts, making the couple’s total deduction $32,300.

Choosing to Itemize Deductions

Instead of taking the standard deduction, taxpayers can itemize deductions. Itemizing involves listing specific deductible expenses to achieve a larger total deduction. The decision depends on whether the sum of these expenses exceeds the available standard deduction for the couple.

Common itemized deductions include:

• Home mortgage interest on up to $750,000 of mortgage debt
• Charitable contributions
• Medical expenses that exceed 7.5% of AGI
• State and local taxes (SALT), which includes property taxes plus either income or sales taxes, capped at a combined total of $10,000 per household.

A married couple should calculate their total potential itemized deductions. If that total is greater than their standard deduction, they will lower their tax liability by choosing to itemize. If the standard deduction is higher, it is the more advantageous option.

Rules for Taxpayers Claimed as a Dependent

Special rules apply when a married individual can be claimed as a dependent on another person’s tax return. In this scenario, the standard deduction is limited to prevent the individual from receiving the full deduction while also being claimed for a tax benefit on another return.

For 2024, the standard deduction for a dependent is limited to the greater of either $1,300 or the individual’s total earned income for the year plus $450. This calculated amount cannot be more than the regular standard deduction for their filing status. For a married couple where both can be claimed as dependents, this rule applies to each spouse, and their combined standard deduction may be less than the $29,200 available to other joint filers.